The Real Impact of Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy symptoms can have functional, psychological, and social impacts, and can be associated with medical comorbidities.1,2

Neurocognitive Functioning

Narcolepsy symptoms can impact neurocognitive functioning, such as the ability to concentrate, read, or remember important details.1,3

Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) can contribute to poor or inconsistent academic and occupational performance.1,4 People with narcolepsy have high rates of absenteeism due to irresistible sleepiness and are more likely to be unemployed, dismissed from their jobs, or receive disability compensation.1,5,6

Psychological Impact

People with narcolepsy can feel isolated, rejected, depressed, and anxious.1,3,4,7 Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms are also more frequent in people with narcolepsy.8,9 Many people living with narcolepsy suffer from anxiety disorders, including social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, or agoraphobia.2,8,10

Social Impact

People with narcolepsy may unconsciously avoid or suppress emotions that might trigger their cataplexy. Individuals may gravitate away from or consciously avoid certain activities to prevent cataplexy attacks.5,10,11

Some people with narcolepsy are injured by their cataplexy and many limit driving to reduce their risk for accidents.3,6,12,13 They may also be afraid to cook or bathe for fear of falling asleep or injury.5,12

Know Narcolepsy® Survey

Results from the national Know Narcolepsy Survey of 1,654 US adults, including people living with narcolepsy (n=200), the general public (n=1,203), and physicians who have treated patients with narcolepsy in the last 2 years (n=251), underscore that narcolepsy can be a substantial and continuing burden. Narcolepsy can have an impact on a person’s daily functioning and social well-being. Of the people living with narcolepsy surveyed, 68% agreed they never feel like a “normal” person, and only 12% agreed their symptoms are completely or mostly under control.

In another survey of 1,699 people in the United States with self-reported narcolepsy conducted from August 26, 2013, to November 15, 2013, the most bothersome symptoms in at least four in ten respondents were4:

excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS)

difficulty thinking, remembering, concentrating, or paying attention

cataplexy

general fatigue

Among the most significant limitations of narcolepsy were being unable to4…

What Matters Most to Patients?

Significant Comorbidities Exist in Narcolepsy

People with narcolepsy have a higher prevalence of comorbidities compared with the average adult.2 Psychiatric comorbidities, especially depression, are reported up to 4 times more often in people with narcolepsy,1 and the risk for cardiovascular diseases is higher.2 The presence of these comorbidities may make recognizing narcolepsy difficult.8,14,15

More likely to have anxiety2

Risk for cardiovascular diseases2

Overweight16

More likely to have mood disorders1

Risk for diabetes2

More likely to have high cholesterol2

There’s More to Know About Comorbidities

What's important when talking to your patients about signs and symptoms of narcolepsy?

Sudden and brief loss of muscle strength or tone, often triggered by strong emotions. Narcolepsy with cataplexy is known as type 1 narcolepsy.

Complete collapse to the ground; all skeletal muscles are involved.

Only certain muscle groups are involved.

Biological clock mechanism that regulates the 24-hour cycle in the physiological processes of living beings. It is controlled in part by the SCN in the hypothalamus and is affected by the daily light-dark cycle.

Frequent inappropriate transitions between states of sleep and wakefulness.

The inability to stay awake and alert during the day.

A neurotransmitter that supports wakefulness. The TMN is the only source of histamine in the brain.